what is the best way to align the bonnet (hood) on my 1979 spider? do i mess with the four bolts at the front or just the latch?
it rubs on the passenger side fender. thank you
how do i align my bonnet-1979 spider
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engineerted
- Posts: 531
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:57 pm
- Your car is a: 1974 124 spider
- Location: Farmington Hills, MI
Re: how do i align my bonnet-1979 spider
Short, answer Yes! You adjust the latch after it is aligned in the front. The latch is used to hold the hood down not for aligning. Just take your time and go slow, it takes a few tries to figure out which way to adjust it.
Ted
1978 124 Spider, Complete Restoration
1974 Fiat 124 F Production Race car
1978 124 Spider, Complete Restoration
1974 Fiat 124 F Production Race car
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steve8462
Re: how do i align my bonnet-1979 spider
thank you sir. i can see now that the doors are going to be fun also, but i'm not afraid!
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azruss
- Posts: 3659
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
- Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI
Re: how do i align my bonnet-1979 spider
the 2 hinge pins control positioning and alignment of the hood side to side. it also controls the vertical alignment of the nose. These hoods tweak easily and you can find you have issues. typical is you get the fender gaps located ok, but the nose doesnt align with each fender, front to back. this is unfixable without doing bodywork, so you just find the best compromise.
If the hood-fender gaps are straight, but one is wider than the other, this will require shims on the hinge pin on the narrow side.
If the gap is straight on one side, but tapers on the other, this requires going to the frame shop, so split the difference and call it good.
If the you have the nose aligned vertically with the fenders and you have one of the rear corners riding high or low, this is twist in the hood. if it is very slight, it can be pulled out when the latch is closed. If the latch doest do the job, you need to try straightening the hood. my advice here is to work gently.
can try putting a pillow under the low corner and push down on the high corner until the corners are even. If both corner ride up, then the hood it too flat in the back. set the pillow in the center of the back and push down on the 2 corners at the same time.
Doors can be a problem because they are too rigid and cant be twisted. good luck.
If the hood-fender gaps are straight, but one is wider than the other, this will require shims on the hinge pin on the narrow side.
If the gap is straight on one side, but tapers on the other, this requires going to the frame shop, so split the difference and call it good.
If the you have the nose aligned vertically with the fenders and you have one of the rear corners riding high or low, this is twist in the hood. if it is very slight, it can be pulled out when the latch is closed. If the latch doest do the job, you need to try straightening the hood. my advice here is to work gently.
can try putting a pillow under the low corner and push down on the high corner until the corners are even. If both corner ride up, then the hood it too flat in the back. set the pillow in the center of the back and push down on the 2 corners at the same time.
Doors can be a problem because they are too rigid and cant be twisted. good luck.